06/17/2026
✨ WE SEE YOU WEDNESDAY ✨
This week, we’re celebrating Sofia Sanchez booking a commercial with SMUD Electricity by working her magic and being herself! 💙💛
Since January, Sofia has been working part-time at CVS Pharmacy through the Department of Rehabilitation, greeting customers, facing products, helping others, and making sure the store is welcoming and presentable.
On what seemed like an ordinary day, Sofia struck up a conversation with a couple she had just met. She shared that she’s an actress, children’s book author, and self-advocate, and even showed them her Instagram page. What she didn’t know was that one of those customers was the director of Bright Eyes Marketing, who was searching for talent for SMUD’s Spring/Summer campaign.
A few weeks later, that simple conversation led to an incredible opportunity. Sofia—and her parents, Hector and Jenn Sanchez—were cast in the commercial. Sofia was also chosen to be featured on SMUD billboards throughout Sacramento!
Sofia’s story is a reminder of why representation and inclusion matter. When individuals with Down syndrome are included in every aspect of life, they can share their gifts and tell their stories. You never know what opportunities may come from simply being seen.
As SMUD says, “Together, we are powering the moments that matter.”
📸 Does your family have a story to share? We’d LOVE to hear it! Whether it’s prom, a new job, trying a new food, taking those first steps, we want to celebrate the incredible individuals in our GiGi’s Playhouse Sacramento family. 💕
Send us a DM or email: [email protected]
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